1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to amusement devices or toys for pets. More specifically, this invention relates to a stringed toy for exercising and entertaining cats wherein simple manipulations of the toy by a cat owner produce interesting, erratic motion that is impossible for cats to resist.
2. Related Art
The initiation of playful activity and exercise in pets is very important to reduce the risk of problems like obesity and heart disease that can develop due to poor diets and lack of exercise. Various apparatus have been developed to address the need for exercise by domestic cats. In addition to stimulating play by cats for exercise and good health, apparatus have been created to promote healthy, affectionate interaction between cats and their owners.
Several toys have been created that allow cats to entertain themselves in the absence of their owners. Many of these devices are designed such that any contact with the attractor or target promotes further movements of the attractor to encourage further play. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,510 (Tae-Ho) a stuffed object is suspended from a telescoping wand. Cats may pounce upon or claw at the suspended object for amusement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,448  (Robinson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,018 (Edling) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,387 (Schramer) disclose cat toys wherein attractive objects are suspended from flexible members extending above stable mounting platforms. Contact with the suspended object induces a swinging, rotating or other reactionary motion in the flexible member that causes the object to move in a manner that may be attractive to a cat.
Other toys have been developed that allow cat owners to interact positively with their pets while encouraging exercise and play. In each of these apparatus, an object may be appealing to cats is connected to or suspended from a wand or handle that is manipulated by the cat owner. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D298,871 (Killen), D309,964 (Viner et al.), D318,150 (Eitel et al.) and D452,050 (Ritchey) each disclose a cat toy of this general design. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,184 (Neidenberger), an attractor of brightly colored silicone rubber is attached to the distal end of an elongated solid wire of high tensile strength. A handle at the proximal end of the Neidenberger toy allows an owner to induce swinging motions in the wire which cause the attractor to move about and encourage the cat to attack. U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,381 B2 (Ritchey) teaches a pet-play apparatus providing an attractive toy suspended from a rod by a lash of fake fur. Manipulations of the Ritchey rod by a pet owner produce movement of the lash and toy to stimulate playful activity in cats.
Yet, none of these cat exercisers or toys possesses the specific construction and unique advantages of the present invention. There remains a need for a stringed cat toy wherein simple manipulations of one end of the string by a pet owner produce movement of an attractor at the other end of the string that is particularly interesting and exciting to the cat, perhaps due to the movement appearing to be a natural, life-like movement such as would be exhibited by a bird, rodent, or other small prey. Further, there is a need for a cat toy wherein the attractor is composed of substantially natural materials.